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June 26, 2012

Get to Know: Christy Hayes & The Accidental Encore

Welcome to the PP, Christy!
Let's dive right in and get to the fun answers.

  How did you get from your day job to writing romance?  I read a romance novel and thought, “I can do better than that.” Of course, it took years before I was able to write better than the book I’d read!

What are your three favorite books of all time? Wow, I’d say: After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell, Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos, and Montana Sky by Nora Roberts.

Morning, afternoon, or evening person? Morning! I can hardly stay up as late as my kids!


Music--with or without? What kind? While writing—no music. I need silence to hear all the voices in my head.

First or third POV? Third. I wrote one book in first and then went through the painstaking process of changing it to third. NEVER again!

How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects?  No. I do one at a time.

What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? Middle. I’m not a plotter, so I’ve usually got the beginning and end in mind, but the middle is where I hit a bump. Sometimes, the bump is a hill; sometimes, it’s a mountain.

Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? I like revisions because the meat of the story is done!

How did you come up with that title?  Titles are puzzles that usually wait until the end of the book (again, because I’m not a plotter). I try to come up with words that go along with the plot and brainstorm using a thesaurus.

Best advice anybody every gave you? Came through a blog. Kristine Kathryn Rusch said the only one who can define your success is you. I read it and thought, wow, she’s so right!

Fill in this blank: My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… how long it’s been since I’ve had a shower! Some days, it’s just not that important.

What's your favorite dessert? Ice Cream

Do you write at home or someplace else? I have an office in my basement that’s quiet and has windows to the back yard.

What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why? I love a good reunion story and I typically love Nora Robert’s heroes because they are very manly. I like real men, warts and all.

Blurb from The Accidental Encore:

Allie felt more than saw Craig pull back from his plate. “You.” He fixed her with a pointed stare as sharp as the tines on the fork he aimed at her face. “You hit me.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s how I know you. You ran the red light and plowed your little silver sedan right into my truck.”
Allie deliberately closed her mouth after it had fallen open. She lifted her chin in the air and straightened her spine. “You ran the red light. Mine was green.”
“Green my ass!” He scraped his chair back and stood up slowly, settling into a cocksure stance that had her rising from her seat. The dog, with its boxy head and light eyes, got up and wagged his tail at his master’s feet. She swallowed hard when she realized the dog resembled a short-legged pit bull.
“Listen,” she began with a weary look at the dog, “I don’t know what you were doing instead of paying attention to the road, but you obviously don’t know the difference between green and red.”
“Right back atcha, sister.”
Leah raised her hands in the air. “Whoa. Can we call a truce, please?”
Allie reached for her coat and spied her bag where she’d left it, leaning against the kitchen island where Craig stood. She jerked her arms into her coat and retrieved her bag, holding her ground even as Craig refused to move and forced her to stand within inches of his broad chest. Damn him, he smelled even better up close.

Buy links:
Good luck with The Accidental Encore, Christy!
And visit the PP again and again.




16 comments:

Tamara Ward said...

Great interview. Thanks, Christy!

Sylvia said...

Hi Christy,
I also started to write because I read a romance and thought I could do better. It took me many years, but I have to say it's been a great journey. Thanks for stopping by today. Your book sounds really interesting and I love the title.
Sylvia

Liese said...

Very interesting and thoughtful answers, Christy. Thanks and best of luck!

Marian Lanouette said...

Christy, I'm a pantser too, but before I start I always have an outline. So that kinda makes me a plotter/pantser. Good luck with the book. I can't wait to read it.

Christy Hayes said...

Thanks for having me at Plotting Princesses today, Ladies. It's a real thrill! I'm grateful for the folks who stopped by--Tamara, Sylvia, Liese and Marian. You ladies are awesome!

Linda Andrews said...

Loved the interview. Did you base that little scene on a real accident?

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Christy. PP gal Ms. Lipperman calls herself a plotster. So I'm sorta that too.

Congratulations on your book!

Patricia said...

Hi Christy and it's nice to see you here at Plotting Princesses. I have to have silence while I write as well, and my kids stay up later than I do and I'm a morning person too. I really like the title of your book and the cover art.
Patti

Alisha said...

What a fantastic excerpt! Loved that last line!! Good luck with your book!

Karysa Faire said...

Love the name of your book! Looking forward to reading this one.

Christy Hayes said...

Linda, the accident is from the beginning of a book and, no, thankfully not one I experienced in real life!

I really like the term "plotster". I suppose I kind of am, too, but my outline is in my head. Scary!

Thanks for all the comments, ladies!

Sheila Seabrook said...

Christy, I loved The Sweetheart Hoax and am looking forward to reading another of your terrific stories. Congrats on your latest release and thanks for the great interview!

Kathy Ivan said...

Hi Christy and welcome to a day with the Princesses! Congratulations on your latest release, the excerpt has me intrigued.

I'm a night owl, do most of my writing at night, but like you I need total quiet to hear the voices in my head. LOL Since I tend to write suspense, I do tend to plot more, but its a general outline and then I pretty much pants the rest of the way through.

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

Great questions and answers--nice interview! Loving the cover and blurb. You've got me hooked wanting to find out who hit who?

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Christy,
Great interview! Thank you for stopping by the PP today! I love the title of your book. Best of luck to you!!

Christy Hayes said...

Thanks, Sheila, Kathy, Stacey & Karilyn! It was so much fun to be here!